The Jacaranda Tree

Is kidnapping moral? Is deceit laudable? Does the end justify the means? The answer is yes in the fantasy world offered by the Tufts Arena this week: the New England premiere of The Jacaranda Tree, by the 53-year-old Spanish playwright Alejandro Casona.

Like many of his other plays, this one is a comedy-fantasy with serious underpinning; it is a sort of religio-moral allegory in which people "practice charity the poetic way" by doing "welfare work for the soul" through illusion, collusion and delusion. The idea yields an intriguing story, but Casona tends to create character stereotypes instead of individuals (even introducing irrelevant personages for their gimmick potential in act one). Although Casona may at times hammer his points too strongly, he has sprinkled the play with witty epigrams, e.g.: "But, Grandmother, architects don't build old houses-time does," or "When two people are really in love, neither gives the orders: both obey."

Marston Balch has directed a cast that has entered well enough into the spirit of the piece. The three principals have even managed to impart a third dimension to their roles: Jacquelyn Zollo as the Grandmother; Joyce White as Isabel; and Lake Bobbitt as Maurice. Though perhaps a bit young-looking for the role, Bobbitt sails through the evening with a dashing naturalness. And the whole production benefits from Thaddeus Gesek's handsome settings, including a wonderful multicolored spiked mobile for the enigmatically daft first act.

The Tufts company merits a pat on the back for continuing in adequate fashion its current emphasis on worthwhile off-beat entertainment.